Woman from PaK standing in DDC elections in Kupwara

Somia Sadaf has a master’s in Urdu, her own dairy and poultry farm, and passion for social work

Kupwara: A woman originally from Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-administered Kashmir (PaK) is among the eleven female candidates standing in DDC elections for Dragmulla constituency in frontier district Kupwara.
Somia Sadaf had married a Kashmiri, Abdul Majeed Bhat, resident of Batargam village of Kupwara in the early nineties when Abdul Majeed crossed the border for arms training. However, he gave up militancy to start his own business in Muzaffarabad, where he met and married a local girl, Somia Sadaf.
Later both husband and wife came back to Kashmir under the rehabilitation policy announced by then National Conference (NC) government headed by Omar Abdullah in 2010.
Somia while talking to Kashmir Reader said that initially she was not interested in the DDC elections, but because of her work with a union government scheme called JKSRL, where she had to do much field work, people in her area asked her to stand in the DDC elections.
“The local people, mostly those who are working with me and their families, promised me that they will help in the elections,” she said.
Somia has completed her master’s degree in Urdu through Moulana Azad University. She has her own dairy and poultry farm in Kupwara. The days are passing happily, she says.
“However, I experienced harsh times when I first came here along with my husband. We started life from zero. I know what the pain of a poor person is. It is another reason why I decided to stand in the elections,” she said.
Somia has four children, three sons and a daughter. She said she wants to see a bright future for all children of Kashmir.
“Today I am participating in the DDC elections as an independent candidate and my symbol is ‘Laptop’. I want to see a laptop in hands of every child wherever they are. It was my goal when I completed my graduation in Muzafarabad that I will help the women of my society. Almighty Allah has given me a chance to win the hearts of everyone,” she said.
When asked if her parents knew about her standing in elections, she said they were very happy that their daughter was doing well on her own two feet. “I wish they would have been here with me at this time. It would have been better for me,” she said.
“My husband supports me like my parents would have, and also as a friend. What I am today, it is only because of my husband,” she said.
The district election officer Kupwara confirmed that a lady originally from Muzaffarabad is contesting in the DDC elections from Dragmulla constituency. Polling in the area is scheduled to be held on December 7.
Last year, two women from PaK participated in Panchayat elections in Kupwara district, one in Khumriyal and the other in Langate area.

 

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